Burial caskets



March 14, 1961 S.NELSON BURIAL GASKETS Filed Feb. 26, 1959 INVENTOR:SYDNEY NELSON V i (aw r/QJ HIS ATTORNEYS clearly illustrated.

Because of these arrangements it is desirable to United rates Patent "cc BURIAL GASKETS Sydney Nelson, 762 Vaughan Road, Toronto 10, Ontario, Canada Filed Feb. 26, 1959, Ser. No. 795,808

Claims. (Cl. 27-7) My invention relates to burial caskets, an object thereof being to provide a device of the character herewithin described so conformed as to take novel advantage of the properties of non-interconnecting cellular polystyrene sheet plastic, which material is inexpensive, light in weight, highly resistant to the action of the elements, relatively strong, and easily worked.

A further object of the present invention is to provide particular and novel structural arrangements for strengthening a burial casket predominately manufactured of the above plastic material in the areas and directions of its weakness under load.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects as may appear as this specification proceeds, my invention consists in the following arrangement and construction of parts, reference being had to the accompanying figures in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my burial casket.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an open-ended perspective representation of my burial casket.

In the drawings like characters of reference designate similar parts in the several figures.

It is well recognized that the cost of burial caskets is considerable, and beyond the economic means of many who are called upon to defray the same. Furthermore, most caskets are highly susceptible to the action of the surrounding elements and to insect attack. As a result they disintegrate in a considerably shorter time than a casket may be expected to do when formed of the material herein specified and fabricated in the manner herein set forth.

Accordingly the present invention comprises a burial casket collectively designated 1 embodying lateral walls 2 and 3, end walls 4, a floor 5 and a lid 6 formed of the two parts 7 and 8.

The material of which my casket is predominately formed is non-interconnecting cellular polystyrene sheet plastic. In forming the lid fi'thereof it will'be observed that the same is strengthened by transverse'ribs 9 of the said material and of theconfignration clearly depicted.

Secured to the free edges of walls 2, 3 and 4, are

2 and 3, the said assemblies, at these locations being right-angled and including external shoulder'portions 13, and nuts 14 designed to engage the right-angularly'related threaded end portions of the lifting bars, all as strengthen the side walls in the locations where the handle assemblies extend therethrough. Hence, it will be observed that I provide inner panels 15 of relatively thin, high impact polystyrene sheet plastic. These extend downwardly to the junction of side walls and floor where it will be observed best from the accompanying Figure 2 that bolts 16 extend through the panels 15, the side walls, and the upper edges of members 11. Against the outer surfaces of the side Walls in the aforesaid locations I position plates 17 also of high impact polystyrene sheet plastic which the portions 13 aforesaid may abut when screwed tight.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that despite the relative structural weakness of the plastic material of which the side walls are made, ample strength has been provided whereby a loaded casket may be safely lifted.

The lid of my casket is also provided with strengthening non-plastic edge members 18 abuttable against L-shaped members 10. Finally it should be explained that the outer surfaces and the inner surfaces of the walls, lid and floor of my casket may, if desired, be covered with suitable veneer.

Since various modifications can be made in the invention hereinbefore described, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and numerous variations made thereto all within the spirit and scope of the invention without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that the said description and drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative only, and not in a limiting sense, and that only such limitations should be placed upon my invention as are specifically contained in the definition thereof as expressed in the accompanying claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A burial casket embodying essentially walls, lid and floor wherein at least said walls and lid are formed of non-interconnecting cellular polystyrene sheet plastic, internal transverse ribs of the same material spanning said lid, longitudinal L-shaped strengthening members secured to the free edges of said walls, and longitudinally extending strengthening members secured to said walls at the junctions thereof with said floor, said last mentioned strengthening members also serving to elevate said floor.

2. The casket according to claim 1 in which said floor is also formed of the said plastic.

3. The casket according to claim 1 which includes lifting handle assemblies extending through the lateral walls panels of high impact polystyrene sheet plastic, and by outer plates of the same material, said panels extending downwardly to the junction of said walls and floor, said lifting handle assemblies also including shoulders near said end portions bearable against said plates, and nuts for said end portions engageable against said panels.

5. The casket according to claim 1 which includes strengthening, non-plastic edge members upon said lid, abuttable'against said L-shaped members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 205,555 Johnston July 2, 1878 1,027,453 Wible May 28, 1912 1,365,634 Tyree Ian. 11, 1921 r 2,552,641 Morrison May 15, 1951 

